Drug and chemical toxicology | 2019
Toxicological evaluation of a flavonoid, chrysin: morphological, behavioral, biochemical and histopathological assessments in rats.
Abstract
Nowadays, medicines from plant sources play a vital role in healthcare management. Chrysin, a plant flavonoid, possesses a wide range of pharmacological activities. The aim of present investigation was to evaluate the safety of chrysin by determining toxicity after acute and sub-chronic oral administration in rats. Acute oral toxicity (AOT) and sub-chronic oral toxicity studies of chrysin were carried out according to OECD 425 and OCED 408 in Sprague Dawley rats. In AOT, oral administration of chrysin (5000\u2009mg/kg) showed 40% mortality. In the sub-chronic toxicity study, daily oral administration of chrysin (1000\u2009mg/kg) showed significantly decreased body weight whereas liver weight was increased significantly in male rats. A significant alteration in the hematology (RBC, MCH, MCHC, TLC, lymphocytes, and neutrophil) and blood chemistry (albumin, bilirubin, ALT, AST, creatinine, and GGT) were found in chrysin (1000\u2009mg/kg) treated rats which were either limited to one sex or lacked dose-response or were within the normal laboratory ranges. There was a significant increase in hepatic and renal oxido-nitrosative stress in chrysin (1000\u2009mg/kg) treated rats. There was no significant change in electrocardiographic (except heart rate), hemodynamic, the left ventricular function, and lung function test. Renal and hepatic histological aberrations were induced in chrysin (1000\u2009mg/kg) treated rats. In conclusion results of the present investigation determined the LD50 value of chrysin to be 4350\u2009mg/kg whereas NOAEL and LOAEL of chrysin was found to be 500 and 1000\u2009mg/kg, respectively for both the sexes.